Wool and Water Acrylic on Fabric December 2015 twelve feet by fourteen feet
Based on my Pacific Crest Trail drawing of the diminishing snow pack in the California High Sierra: I hybridized traditional woven patterns as a mechanism for investigating the possibility of an ecological, sustainable form of human comfort
Wool and Water
December 2015
Acrylic on Fabric
2015 twelve feet by fourteen feet
PCT journal entry: Towards Etna
Climbing 5000 feet in the SNOW today while hiking 17 miles we are warming up in our Super-Mid under pine trees.
We had reached a plateau when the thunder and lightning started. Rain, hail and snow pursued us as we climbed through the forest. The trail never raised above tree line so we felt safe enough even though once Canyon thought he heard the lighting strike nearby. Rabbit's fear of thunder didn't seem to stop her from hiking this beautiful snow filled section.
Now we are Camping in the SNOW and Rabbit and I are playing a game I call Cocoon. We are wrapped as tightly as possible in our sleeping quit, when Spring comes we'll metamorphosis into butterflies.
Despite the freezing temperatures we were warm and snuggly last night. There is still snow on the ground but the sun is out. Canyon made us coffee and cocoa outside the shelter. He also made us PANCAKES with butter and honey. He is a hero. Rabbit is wolfing the food like she's woken up from hibernation. It’s windy out there. We are moving slowing and will head down towards Etna when we can muster the courage to get out of our sleeping quilt. I don't care if they have holes in them, I have dry socks to put on.
Last night when we all crawled into our super-mid shelter wet and cold, Rabbit changed into her warm base layer and calmly said "I have reached the end of my ability to willingly deal, and need your help."
This kid's got communication skills. I quickly blew up our sleeping pads and got her on the way to warmth while Canyon dug around for a bagel for her to eat.
The key to surviving an overnight hike in rain or snow is keeping your base layer and sleeping system dry. We use plastic trash compactor bags in each of our packs. Most of our base layers come from thrift stores. I have thick wool REI sleeping socks, a polyester Patagonia long sleeve shirt from Thrift-town and wool Montbell long john to sleep in. Rabbit has rabbit- patterned pink long johns from the gear exchange in Bishop coupled with a blue polyester Patagonia long sleeve shirt and REI socks to sleep in. Canyon sleeps in thrift-store silk long johns and Black Diamond 100 weight polyester pull over. We need thin Polyester gloves to wear inside our Northface water proof running mittens. I need a warm hat, having lost mine at either Government Camp or the Timberline Lodge. Rabbit uses her down hat as a sleeping bag for her stuffed Totoro and Bear. Canyon and I find this to be questionable, but put up with it anyway.
We stopped by the Marble Valley Forest Service Ranger cabin. Canyon and Rabbit climbed through an open window to check it out. A friendly deer came over to check US out. We saw grouse on the trail today as well as birds of prey overhead. There is a cow sneaking up behind us in this burnt forest where we are resting.
Climbing 5000 feet in the SNOW today while hiking 17 miles we are warming up in our Super-Mid under pine trees.
We had reached a plateau when the thunder and lightning started. Rain, hail and snow pursued us as we climbed through the forest. The trail never raised above tree line so we felt safe enough even though once Canyon thought he heard the lighting strike nearby. Rabbit's fear of thunder didn't seem to stop her from hiking this beautiful snow filled section.
Now we are Camping in the SNOW and Rabbit and I are playing a game I call Cocoon. We are wrapped as tightly as possible in our sleeping quit, when Spring comes we'll metamorphosis into butterflies.
Despite the freezing temperatures we were warm and snuggly last night. There is still snow on the ground but the sun is out. Canyon made us coffee and cocoa outside the shelter. He also made us PANCAKES with butter and honey. He is a hero. Rabbit is wolfing the food like she's woken up from hibernation. It’s windy out there. We are moving slowing and will head down towards Etna when we can muster the courage to get out of our sleeping quilt. I don't care if they have holes in them, I have dry socks to put on.
Last night when we all crawled into our super-mid shelter wet and cold, Rabbit changed into her warm base layer and calmly said "I have reached the end of my ability to willingly deal, and need your help."
This kid's got communication skills. I quickly blew up our sleeping pads and got her on the way to warmth while Canyon dug around for a bagel for her to eat.
The key to surviving an overnight hike in rain or snow is keeping your base layer and sleeping system dry. We use plastic trash compactor bags in each of our packs. Most of our base layers come from thrift stores. I have thick wool REI sleeping socks, a polyester Patagonia long sleeve shirt from Thrift-town and wool Montbell long john to sleep in. Rabbit has rabbit- patterned pink long johns from the gear exchange in Bishop coupled with a blue polyester Patagonia long sleeve shirt and REI socks to sleep in. Canyon sleeps in thrift-store silk long johns and Black Diamond 100 weight polyester pull over. We need thin Polyester gloves to wear inside our Northface water proof running mittens. I need a warm hat, having lost mine at either Government Camp or the Timberline Lodge. Rabbit uses her down hat as a sleeping bag for her stuffed Totoro and Bear. Canyon and I find this to be questionable, but put up with it anyway.
We stopped by the Marble Valley Forest Service Ranger cabin. Canyon and Rabbit climbed through an open window to check it out. A friendly deer came over to check US out. We saw grouse on the trail today as well as birds of prey overhead. There is a cow sneaking up behind us in this burnt forest where we are resting.